Wales becomes first UK nation to offer free school meals to all primary school children
Video report by Richard Morgan
Wales has become the first UK nation to offer free school meals to all primary school children.
It means that 176,000 pupils are now newly eligible to receive them.
The Welsh Government commenced the rollout of Universal Primary Free School Meals (UPFSM) in September 2022.
From the start of this academic year, all 22 local authorities will be offering free school meals to all years, from Reception to Year 6 pupils.
Bridgend and Swansea were the two remaining local authorities to complete roll-out.
£260m, which includes £60m capital, was made available to implement the policy over the lifetime of the commitment.
Lynne Neagle MS, Cabinet Secretary for Education, described the rollout as "a really big milestone".
She continued: "We've invested £260m in rolling this out. Local authorities and schools have worked really hard to deliver this and it's brilliant to be here today to se it in action."
When asked if this is is the best use of resources, Ms Neagle said: "I think it's really important that we invest in a healthy school lunch for our children. We know that if they're hungry, they're going to find it more difficult to concentrate, to learn.
"We've also been living through a really tough cost of living crisis so this is about putting money back in people's pockets and having a universal offer also avoid the stigma of it just being a smaller group of children accessing meals."
Children's Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, said: "“It feels more important than ever that the main meal children are having in school gives them the energy and the nutrients they need to grow, to play, and to learn.
"The universal free school meals rollout is a fantastic achievement, but it's vital that all children taking up the offer can enjoy a meal that meets their needs.
“In March, my snapshot survey of 490 children and young people across Wales showed that many felt hungry after their school meal; teachers expressed concern too about the amount of food available to older children.
"Reviewing the regulations behind this, and listening to children’s views and experiences, should be a priority for the Welsh Government to take forward.
"My team have met with the Government officials on this and shared our findings; we look forward to continuing our involvement as this work progresses.”
Tom Giffard MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Education Minister, said: “It is right that children who need a free school meal receive one, but there have been flaws in Labour’s delivery of the scheme.
“The Welsh Conservatives have previously highlighted that this policy was uncosted, so it is unsurprising that there has been news of low quality and small portion sizes due to councils struggling with Labour’s budget cuts.
“This policy has been poorly implemented by the Welsh Labour Government from the outset and sadly, it is our young people who are having to pay the price.”
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…